Browns ownership talks patience and panic, how 3-14 'won't cut it' and the need to see rookie QBs in games

BEREA — The seats aren't hot.They're just uncomfortable after the disastrous 3-14 season a year ago.Owner Jimmy Haslam reiterated his trust in general manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski on Tuesday while acknowledging a repeat is unacceptable.Martin Emerson Jr. carted off field with Achilles injury"Listen, we got to do better than three (wins)," Haslam, who was joined by co-owner and wife Dee, said before a training camp practice. "To put a number on it, I don't think we will ever do that. Everybody, coaches, players, personnel, ownership, all know that 3-14 won't cut it. We've got to do better. I think we'll know what better looks like."The Haslams hired Stefanski and Berry in 2020 and gave them extensions in the 2024 offseason after they piloted two playoff trips in four years."We're very supportive of Kevin and Andrew," Jimmy Haslam said. "Now do they need to do better? Yeah, but so do Dee and I. And these are high-pressure jobs they have, but we really like them in their roles as coach and GM and we really like them as people. And I say this all the time, they're 38 (Berry) and 42 years old."Browns owner Jimmy Haslam on notion Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski could be on hot seat following 3-14. pic.twitter.com/c68CAaP615— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) July 29, 2025https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsThe organization recalibrated following last season. The Haslams acknowledged the Deshaun Watson trade and fully guaranteed $230 million contract were a "big swing and miss," roster additions were limited by salary cap issues and finding the long-term answer at quarterback while making the roster younger became a two- or three-year task.Deion Sanders says Shedeur told him not to visit Browns camp"We talk about it openly. Now could we take a big jump in one year? Yes. But we talk about we're not going to panic, we're going to draft good players, we're going to build through the draft and next year we have nine picks, including two ones," Haslam said. "So that should help us."The Watson trade robbed the Browns of a first-round pick in three straight years and they also didn't draft in the second round in two of those years. They acquired a second first-rounder in 2026 when they traded the No. 2 pick in April to the Jaguars to move down three spots and also add No. 36 in 2025.With the 2026 draft supposed to be better and deeper at quarterback, Haslam said it's "absolutely, absolutely" important for the Browns to see rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in game action this season. Gabriel was drafted in the third round and Sanders 50 picks later in the fifth."Kevin is aware of that," Haslam said. "He knows how important quarterback is and he and Andrew talk about those kinds of things all the time. It's a daily, ongoing conversation."Neither rookie is expected to win the starting job for the season opener vs. the Bengals, with veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett the favorites. Stefanski said he's not thinking past the next couple of weeks."I'm really not there right this minute," he said. "It's still July."Haslam likes how Stefanski's been handling the four-man quarterback competition and getting each enough reps. Pickett has missed the last two practices with a hamstring injury."I hate it for Kenny because he played really well the two or three days before he got hurt," Haslam said. "And there's nobody that wants to be part of the team more than Kenny. He's working hard and I know he'll get back quickly."But I think so far they've handled it well. The young guys will get a lot of looks as will the veterans in the scrimmages. So we will know a lot more in the next couple weeks."Taking the long view in regard to quarterback includes wanting Stefanski to coach the one they eventually settle on as the long-term answer."Absolutely. Absolutely," Haslam said.He said his family learned "the hard way" to be more patient after the Browns were awful in their early years of ownership and they fired several coaches and general managers."We're frustrated too and we share the fans' pain and Dee says this all the time: We're stewards of this franchise and we need to do a better job," Haslam said. "And we want to win for a lot of different reasons. But the main reason we want to win is for our fans. We have great fans."The Haslams spoke on a number of other topics.** The Browns have had three players arrested on domestic violence chargers within the last year: defensive tackle Mike Hall Jr., linebacker Devin Bush and rookie running back Quinshon Judkins."It's extremely frustrating," Haslam said. "Obviously we're not communicating as well as we should and we take responsibility for that. We talk about it a lot, but clearly we need to look to see what else we can do. That's not acceptable.""It's a big focus for us in the organization," Dee said.Haslam said he asked the front office if there's a problem in the vetting process and was told nothing in the players' backgrounds "showed anything like this."Judkins is the only rookie in the league not signed and out of camp. The Browns are waiting until they investigate further and the legal process plays out. Haslam said he expects Judkins to eventually sign and play for them."I do, but we all understand due process and the law," he said. "The law does not move quickly. But, yes, we're cautiously optimistic."** Haslam disputed the speculation he was behind the pick of Sanders at No. 144."Andrew made the call to pick Shedeur, just like who's going to start or what play we're going to call is Kevin's call," he said. "But that's Andrew's call. He made the call."Haslam said they believed Sanders was good value where they got him.Browns owner Jimmy Haslam on the perception he was behind the Shedeur Sanders pick. Said GM Andrew Berry made it. pic.twitter.com/W6UsyZQuiC— Scott Petrak ct (@ScottPetrak) July 29, 2025https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js** He tried to shut down another popular rumor — that the Browns will try to draft Texas quarterback Arch Manning next spring. Haslam has a strong relationship with Peyton Manning, an uncle of Arch."I don't know Arch at all, OK?" Haslam said. "I bet he stays in college two years, so I don't even think that's worth discussing."** After his "big swing and miss" comment, Haslam was asked if he can envision Watson, who's rehabbing from a re-ruptured Achilles tendon, ever playing for the Browns again."I think it's premature," Haslam said. "I will say this, he's working hard in his rehab and that's our focus is to get him well and healthy and then we'll make decisions after that."The post Browns ownership talks patience and panic, how 3-14 'won't cut it' and the need to see rookie QBs in games first appeared on BrownsZone with Scott Petrak.